BUREAU OF CATHOLIC INDIAN MISSIONS
Record Group 1 of Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records
Historical Notes: Notable Evangelization

Native America Collections homepage

BCIM Historical Notes/Scope and Content

Guide to Catholic Records about Native Americans in the United States

Notable Native Churches, Schools, Special Ministries and Organizations

This list of select Native Guide entries corresponds with the notable Native Catholic churches, schools, special ministries, and related dioceses and organizations documented in the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records (multiple series, e.g. correspondence, photography, reports, publications) and other Native America special collections at Marquette University. The linked guide entries provide the names and current contact information of these institutions, chronologies of history highlights, and summaries of the Native Catholic archival records they held when reviewed by Marquette University archivists. The chronologies illuminate the archival record by noting when these organizations and ministries opened and closed, the tribal or ethnic affiliation of their Native participants, the diocesan and/or religious community affiliation of the associated Catholic groups, and the major disasters and transitions that affected the continuity and survival of the records. Some notable individuals and organizations, who often were record creators, are also identified. Knowledge of the principal record creators is often crucial in identifying, locating and navigating pertinent Catholic records within Marquette's Native America Collections and elsewhere.

Inclusion in this list does not guarantee that Marquette collections alone will provide sufficient documentation for researching a class paper based on one of these subject categories. Researchers must make their own determinations by reviewing all evidence in consultation with the archivist and their instructor. From the Native Guide entries, the information on records creators provide crucial key words for search box strategies. See this Search and Search Tips page for "how-to" procedures. If insufficient material is found on a topic as originally planned, it may be advantageous to reformulate and/or to consider related archival holdings at other nearby repositories, which are described in their respective Native Guide entries.

State/ Communities/ Places Churches, Schools, Special Ministries, Dioceses, Organizations Native American Ethnic Groups/ Tribes
Alaska - -
Fairbanks Catholic Church. Diocese of Fairbanks. Archives: Regional Overview, Permanent Diacoate Program, Eskimo, Ingalik
Holy Cross Holy Cross Mission Eskimo, Ingalik
Hooper Bay Little Flower of Jesus Church; Sisters of the Snow (Native American women religious) (ceased) Eskimo
St. Marys/ Akulurak St. Mary Mission, School and Church of the Nativity Eskimo
St. Michael St. Michael Mission Eskimo
Arizona - -
Bapchule/ Sacaton, Gila River Reservation St. Peter School Maricopa, Pima
Fort Defiance, Navajo Reservation Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church Navajo
Laveen/ Komatke, Gila River Reservation St. John School (closed) Apache, Maricopa, Pima, Tohono O'odham
Phoenix Catholic Church. Diocese of Phoenix. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
St. Michaels, Navajo Reservation St. Michael Indian School Navajo
St. Michaels, Navajo Reservation St. Michael Mission Navajo
San Carlos, San Carlos Reservation San Carlos Mission and St. Charles School Apache, Yuma
Topawa, Tohono O'odham/ Papago Reservation St. Catherine Church, San Solano Missions Tohono O'odham
Tucson Catholic Church. Diocese of Tucson. Archives: Regional Overview  All Native Nations
Tucson/ San Xavier, San Xavier Reservation San Xavier Mission Tohono O'odham
Whiteriver, Fort Apache Reservation St. Francis Church Apache
California - -
Banning St. Boniface School (closed); see -- Beaumont, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Community and San Bernardino, Catholic Church. Diocese of San Bernardino. Archives Cahuilla, Cupeño, Kumiai
Hoopa, Hoopa Reservation Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church Hupa
Los Angeles; see -- Mission Hills Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Archives: Regional Overview, Urban Ministry All Native Nations
Pala San Antonio de Pala Mission Cahuilla, Cupeño, Kumiai
District of Columbia - -
Washington Black and Indian Mission Office (Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, et.al.): Church-State Relationships All Native Nations
Florida - -
Indiantown  Hope Rural School  Maya 
Tallahassee Martyrs of La Florida Missions canonization cause Apalachee, et.al.
St. Augustine School for Apache children at Fort Marian (closed); see -- Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine Chihuahua Apache
Idaho - -
Desmet, Coeur d'Alene Reservation Sacred Heart Mission Coeur d'Alene
Lapwai, Nez Perce Reservation St. Joseph Mission Nez Perce
Indiana - -
Notre Dame American Indian Catholic School Network: Native American Catholic Schools, 1980s- All Native Nations
Kansas - -
St. Mary Immaculate Conception Church; St. Mary Mission and School (closed) Potawatomi
St. Paul Osage Mission and School (closed); see -- Catholic Church. Diocese of Wichita. Archives Osage
Louisiana - -
Alexandria Tekakwitha Conference: Native American Catholic Association All Native Nations
Maine - -
Old Town, Indian Island Reservation St. Ann Church Penobscot
Michigan - -
Detroit Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Detroit: Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Harbor Springs/ New Arbre Croche Holy Childhood of Jesus Church; Holy Childhood of Jesus Mission and School (closed) Ojibwa, Ottawa
L'Anse/ Assinins/ Baraga, Kewenaw Bay Reservation Most Holy Name of Jesus-Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church/ Mission, School and Orphan Home (closed) Ojibwa
Minnesota - -
Red Lake, Red Lake Reservation St. Mary's Mission and School Ojibwa
St. Cloud Catholic Church. Diocese of St. Cloud. Archives: Catholic Chippewa Congress Ojibwa
Waubun/ White Earth, White Earth Reservation White Earth Catholic Community/ St. Benedict Mission and School Ojibwa
Mississippi - -
Philadelphia, Choctaw Reservation Holy Rosary Indian Mission Choctaw
Montana - -
Ashland, Northern Cheyenne Reservation St. Labre Church Cheyenne
Ashland, Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations St. Labre School System Cheyenne, Crow
Browning, Blackfeet Reservation Little Flower Church; Holy Family Mission and School Siksika
Browning, Blackfeet Reservation De La Salle Blackfeet School Siksika
Cascade St. Peter Mission School (Louis Riel, teacher); see -- Helena, Catholic Church. Diocese of Helena. Archives Siksika; Metis
Hays, Fort Belknap Reservation St. Paul Mission and School Assiniboine, Atsina
St. Ignatius, Flathead Reservation St. Ignatius Mission and School Salish
Nebraska - -
Winnebago, Winnebago Reservation St. Augustine Mission School Omaha, Winnebago
New Mexico - -
Bernalillo San Antonio Mission and Sisters of Loretto School (closed) Tiwa
Gallup Catholic Church. Diocese of Gallup. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Jemez Pueblo San Diego Mission; San Diego Indian School (transferred to community corp.) Jemez
Laguna Pueblo St. Joseph Mission Laguna
Ohkay Owingeh/ San Juan Pueblo St. John the Baptist Church and School Tewa
San Fidel St. Joseph Mission School Acoma, Laguna, Navajo
Santa Fe Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Santa Fe St. Catherine Indian School (closed); see -- Albuquerque, Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Office of Catholic Schools All Native Nations
Zuni Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission and St. Anthony Church and School Zuni
New York - -
Albany Catholic Church. Diocese of Albany. Archives, St. Kateri Tekakwitha canonization cause Algonquin-Mohawk
St. Regis Mohawk Reservation St. Regis Mission Mohawk
North Dakota - -
Belcourt, Turtle Mountain Reservation St. Ann Church and School (closed) Cree, Ojibwa
Fort Totten, Spirit Lake/ Devil's Lake Reservation Seven Dolors Church, Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel and School and Little Flower School Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota
Fort Totten, Spirit Lake/ Devil's Lake Reservation Seven Dolors Church; Catholic Sioux Congress Assiniboine, Dakota, Lakota, Yankton
Fort Yates, Standing Rock Reservation St. Peter Mission; Fort Yates Government School (closed) Hunkpapa Dakota
Fort Yates, Standing Rock Reservation American Sisters (Native American women religious) (ceased) Lakota
Mandaree/ Elbowoods, Fort Berthold Reservation St. Anthony Church/ Sacred Heart Mission and School Arikara, Hidatsa, Mandan
St. Michael, Spirit Lake/ Devil's Lake Reservation St. Michael Mission Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota
Oklahoma - -
Anadarko St. Patrick Church; St. Patrick School (closed) Kiowa, Comanche
Antlers St. Agnes Church; St. Agnes Academy (closed); St. Mary's School (closed) Choctaw
Chickasha Holy Name of Jesus Church; St. Joseph's School (closed) Chickasaw, Choctaw
Gray Horse, Osage Reservation St. John Mission and School (closed) Kaw, Osage, Pawnee
Konawa Sacred Heart Church; Sacred Heart Mission, Sacred Heart Academy, St. Benedict's School and St. Mary's Academy (all closed) Potawatomi
Oklahoma City Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Pawhuska, Osage Reservation Immaculate Conception Church; St. Louis School (closed) Kiowa, Osage
Purcell Our Lady of Victory Church; St. Elizabeth Church and School/ St. Scholastica's \ School (all closed) Choctaw, Chickasaw
Quapaw St. Mary's Mission and School (closed) Quapaw
Oregon - -
Pendleton, Umatilla Reservation St. Andrew Mission and St. Ann/ Kate Drexel School Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla
Portland Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Portland. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
South Dakota - -
Howes Catholic Church. Diocese of Rapid City. Sioux Spiritual Center, Inculturation Task Force, Permanent Diaconate Program All Native Nations
Kenel, Standing Rock Reservation St. Benedict Church; Farm School (closed); St. Bernard School (closed) Hunkpapa Dakota
Marty, Yankton Reservation Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (Native American women religious) Dakota, Ojibwa, Yankton
Marty, Yankton Reservation St. Paul Mission; St. Paul School Yankton
Pine Ridge, Pine Ridge Reservation Pine Ridge Reservation Churches, 1888-present; Red Cloud Indian School System, 1888-present Oglala Lakota
Rapid City Catholic Church. Diocese of Rapid City. Archives: Regional Overview. Nicholas Black Elk Canonization Cause, 2016-present Lakota
Rapid City St. Isaac Jogues Church: Urban Ministry Dakota, Lakota
St. Francis, Rosebud Reservation St. Francis Mission, 1886-present; St. Francis Mission School (transferred to community corp.); KINI Radio, transferred to community corp.); Medicine Men and Clergy Dialogue, 1974-1980 Brulé Lakota
Sioux Falls Catholic Church. Diocese of Sioux Falls. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Stephan, Crow Creek Reservation Immaculate Conception Church; Immaculate Conception School (closed) Santee Dakota, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota
Texas - -
El Paso, Ysleta del Sur Reservation Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Tiwa
Utah - -
Roosevelt, Uintah and Ouray Reservation St. Helen Church Ute
Washington - -
Omak, Colville Reservation St. Francis Regis Mission; St. Mary Mission and School (closed) Colville Confederated
Seattle Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Seattle. Archives: Regional Overview All Native Nations
Yakima, Yakima Reservation St. Joseph Church and School Yakama
Wisconsin - -
Ashland, Bad River Reservation St. Mary/ Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission, St. Mary School (closed) Ojibwa
Bayfield and La Pointe Holy Family Church/ Christ Church and School and St. Joseph Mission Ojibwa
Keshena, Menominee Reservation St. Michael Church/ Mission and St. Joseph School (closed) Menominee
Milwaukee Siggenauk Center (closed); Congregation of the Great Spirit: Urban Ministry All Native Nations
Stone Lake, Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation St. Francis Solanus Church and School Ojibwa
Wyoming - -
Saint Stephens, Wind River Reservation St. Stephen's Mission; St. Stephen's School (transferred to community corp.) Arapaho, Shoshoni